Dining In - Chloe's Award-Winning Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes

Chloe's Award-Winning Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes - Chloe's Kitchen

These delicious cupcakes debuted on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars when a vegan chef, Chloe Coscarelli, won for the first time! It takes three recipes and quite a few ingredients to complete this masterpiece. One step involves boiling, peeling, pitting, chopping, and processing dates - so prepare yourself! :) I’ve shared these cupcakes with friends and family and they are always a huge hit - moist, flavorful, sweet. This is not your ordinary cupcake! You can find this recipe and others in Chloe's Kitchen (buy your copy here).

Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup canned coconut milk

½ cup canola oil

2 teaspoons apple-cider vinegar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

1 cup vegetable shortening

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Seeds of 1 vanilla bean (cheap ones available at Trader Joe's!)

2 to 5 tablespoons almond milk

Date Caramel Drizzle:

6 medjool dates

½ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons water

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

To make Spice Cupcakes:

Set oven to 350 degrees. Line two dozen-cupcake pans with cupcake liners (recipe makes 18-20 cupcakes).

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl. 
Combine canned coconut milk, canned pumpkin, canola oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla in a separate, medium bowl. 
Combine bowl of wet ingredients by pouring into large bowl with dry ingredients. 
Mix until just combined. 
Pour batter into cupcake liners, but don't fill completely. Put in oven and bake at 350 degress for about 18-20 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check that they are done. Let cupcakes cool.

To make Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

Beat vegetable shortening with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy and smooth, about two minutes. 
Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and scraped out vanilla bean seeds. Continue mixing. 
Add almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth and light enough to spread on cupcakes. Continue mixing for about 2 minutes.

To make Date Caramel Drizzle:

Fill small saucepan with enough water to cover six dates. Heat on medium to high until water begins to boil. Boil dates for 10 minutes. Cool down dates by rinsing with cold water until you can comfortably hold them. Remove skin from dates by peeling with your fingers. 

Chop dates and discard of both skin and pit. Put chopped dates, maple syrup, cinnamon, and water in a food processor. Pulse until well combined and smooth. Let cool in refridgerator.

For the Finished Cupcakes:

Apply frosting to cupcake first then use a chef's bottle (looks like a condiment squeeze bottle) or a spoon to drizzle the date syrup on top. Enjoy!